novelIntermission Night (2)
| ← Ch.04 | Ch.06 → |
Was it safe for her to live with a cat if she was allergic to them? And she seemed unfazed right now, but I worried that she'd start to show an allergic reaction holding the cat like this. But she kept her composure and happily stroked the kitten's throat again.
"I'm going to go leave it with a friend for now! I'll be back in about ten minutes. After that, we'll get ready for our afterparty in green room #1! We still aren't fully prepared for tomorrow, are we? Were you headed back to the stage?"
"Oh, yes. There may be some things to clean up still..."
"... Y-Yes!"
"Oh, and you can drop the "miss"! Just call me Rin."
Just the same thing her brother had told me earlier...
"I was just thinking Len might've told you that, too."
"How did you... ?"
"I kneeew it! Aww, Len beat me to the punch again. He always runs ahead to snatch the best opportunities! Even though everyone knows it's Rin who keeps spirits high in this company!"
Did the twins have some kind of telepathy? I was stunned that she'd guessed right about Len's conversation with me in the props room. Unless, heaven forbid, she was listening from outside the room in secret... ? It didn't seem that way. Maybe this was a talent that came with the "insight" Len was talking about.
"Oh yeah, and Luka, too! Pleased with that handkerchief she gave you today?"
"Huh... ? O-Oh, yes! It has such a cute design... It almost feels like a waste to use it."
"Great! Actually, she bought it the other day when I went shopping with her. She looked so serious about trying to pick out the perfect one! Apparently, she wanted to wait until the show was all over and give it to you as a present then... Oh, but don't tell her I said that, or she'll get mad!"
With that, Rin waved her hand and ran off in a hurry. Once she was out of sight, I carefully took out the handkerchief Luka had given me and focused my eyes on it again. Luka, yes, that Luka, had picked this out just for me... The corners of my eyes heated up, and I pressed the handkerchief to them.
Everyone thought of me as a friend... That happy fact gave me the strength to keep doing my best tomorrow. I had to try harder, so that I could at least repay them a little for all they'd given me. I'd steel myself for tomorrow, and make up for my mistake.
After Rin left, I went to the right wing of the stage. The backstage set crew, stagehands, and lighting staff were all gathered, more or less finishing up with their preparations for tomorrow. Kaito stood in the middle of them giving managerial directions. Over in the left wing, I saw Meiko, Gack, and Meg talking with the prop-maker Ia about something.
"... Oh yes, indeed! Then, too. Though she's usually very clumsy..."
"Ah... Now that you mention it, you're right. She was like another person entirely."
"Like? She totally was! Like she lept right out of the play!"
"I was really moved by her performance today, too! Miss Miku's helped me a lot with the props, even... Oh, Miss Miku!"
They appeared to be talking me up. I tried to hide my fidgety restlessness as I approached them.
"Well done, everyone... ! Um, sorry to keep you waiting, Miss Meiko!"
"Well, I anticipated as much. Len and Rin caught you, didn't they?"
"Eh?! H-How did you know..."
Len, Rin, and now Meiko were correctly guessing my actions as accurately as if they were watching the whole time. It began to go beyond surprise and strike fearful awe into me. As far as I could tell from their faces, everyone was just making mere guesses, so how in the world...
"How, you ask? Heehee... It's a secret. But you're really easy to read; everything shows on your face."
"... Is it really that blatant?"
"Yes, very! But that's a fine thing. Lovable, even."
"L-Love... ?"
"Indeed. I feel you have a very good character about you. It's ador... cough, ahem!... Ah, it's magnificent."
"M-Mr. Gack... are you actually praising Miss Miku? That thing you said to me earlier, too..."That blunder was truly magnificent! I haven't seen such a hilari... cough, cough - pleasantly wonderful mistake in years!" I wasn't sure if that was supposed to be pleasing or depressing."
Ia looked up at Gack with scornful eyes, and he smiled awkwardly.
"Gack is quick to compliment anything as "magnificent, " but... sometimes that compliment isn't particularly appreciated, hm? I was carrying some set parts once, and he told me "Miss Meiko, your upper biceps are truly magnificent. Very practically useful!" My pride was really hurt by that one..."
"W... Was it, now? I, ah... I meant it purely, from the heart..."
"Praising a lady's biceps from the heart... ? Mr. Gack, you really don't know how to deal with a woman's feelings, do you! I mean, I can get really intense too when I'm writing, but I've still got the heart of a proper lady! You're always asking if I'm eating enough or if I'm hungry, but every time I hear that, I feel like you're making me out to be a glutton! I mean, it's true to an extent? But there are limits!"
"Oh, yes! He's done that to me, too..."
Like a dam bursting, the women spoke up about the thoughtless things Gack would casually say to them daily. He backed away in fear of their intensity, looking around wildly. He usually stayed calm and composed with a cocky smile, so it was amusing to see him flustered like this.
Gack was cool and orderly in appearance, very popular with women without any rumors of frivolity; a serious, kind, likable young man. But being such a good person, sometimes he'd slip up and I'd see him get a scolding, usually from his female colleagues. I'm not sure how to best describe it, but he was never doubtful of people, had a tendency of being too pure, and would be leniently forgiven at times when he should have been admonished, sometimes even applauded. And often times, this didn't please the women.
He winced, red-faced, and his eyebrows sank, quickly losing his usual mature dignity. Seeing him so droopy and shrunken-away reminded me of a dog being scolded by its master for doing something that it thought was good, and not understanding why. I felt a little sorry about it, so I came to his aid.
"Um... I think that sort of slight thickheadedness Mr. Gack has is just great! He usually always has this grown-up feeling to him, so from time to time, seeing him getting scolded and turning frantic... It's kind of cute, like watching a dog. I guess I just think it's great that he has all these sides to him."
"Miss Miku... ! Thank you very much."
"... Miku? That... doesn't follow from what we said at all... And Gack, is that remark really something to be happy about? Sigh..."
With a great sigh, Meiko scrunched her face sourly, like sucking a lemon.
"Hmm... I can see some overlap between Miss Miku and Mr. Gack. I mean, maybe they're tryingto be serious, but they're just out-of-it by nature. Sometimes I feel like I've run out of responses to their antics..."
"You do a good job even trying, Miss Meg... Well, I suppose that's part of these two's charm."
"Ia, no need to kick them while they're down. But... yes, being serious and suave alone isn't very interesting... Maybe a few unfortunate elements here and there help to add flavor."
"U-Unfortunate... elements, Miss Meiko... ?"
"It's a compliment! Heehee..."
Once the lengthy teasing came to an end, Meiko, Meg, and Ia had bright smiles, and Gack beside them hung his head and drooped his shoulders with disappointment.
While Kaito was more of a feminist, Gack kept to some old customs rare in these times, striving for the traditional way of the gentleman. So he was fundamentally kind and sweet to women, and as a result of that personality, found it hard to make a rebuttal when they went off and berated him. After a sigh, Meiko turned back toward me.
"At any rate, Miku, back to business. It's about that last scene today. Because of the broken clock, that part where you drop the letter was a little off, wasn't it? Do you remember about where you dropped it? Just as close as you can recall; I was just thinking that since I'll be the only one on stage at the start of the act, I'll need to put that in position as well. Can you help me with that?"
"I understand. Oh, Miss Ia! I finished with these... Can you check them for me?"
After replying to Meiko, I handed Ia the bag of newspapers I was carrying.
"Wow, you did all of it... Thank you! That's a huge help. It's tedious work making these!"
"I'll help any time you need it!"
Ia thanked me with a charming smile and went back to finishing up her other work. I then went back up on stage with Meiko to prepare for the beginning of act two.
"Helping with the prop-making... Now, that's great!"
"Not really... I can't really do anything significant..."
"Ia's working double time to do the setpieces for this play too, so she's really busy. I'm sure that even you helping out with the small tasks is a big help to her. We're short on hands right now..."
I was reminded of earlier remarks about numerous people quitting during the conflict a year and half before I arrived here. Thus, in order to get the large-scale set for this play done in time, it seems all the backstage staff had to do extra work outside their usual fields.
"Everyone! Stay where you are and listen!"
Kaito, who'd been observing the entire stage and giving directions, began to shout directions loudly enough for everyone to hear.
"We're almost done with the final adjustments for tomorrow's set. Backstage staff, I know you have early-morning preparations to do, so head home for today and get some good rest. And the rest of you, finish up quickly so you can go home soon. All the cast members, we're about to do our final checks for tomorrow. Sorry to wear you out, but as soon as we finish this, we'll meet up in green room #1."
"Um, Mr. Kaito. I know we're backstage staff, buuut... we can still do what we like, right?", the stagehand Mayu quickly asked from behind Kaito.
"Sure, as long as it won't impact you tomorrow. Looking at the state of things, I don't think we'll be able to do an afterparty for the whole crew. Tell everyone that for me. Oh, and Mayu... Don't drink too much. Good work today!"
"Okaaay! You too, Mr. Kaito!"
Mayu thanked Kaito, turned to the staff members behind her, and gave them a grin and an OK sign. With direct permission from the stage manager to party, the staff proceeded out in groups. It seemed they were all planning to have their own after-show celebration at a bar somewhere.
All of a sudden, I remembered Rin telling me to inform the cast about a minor celebration in the green room. I'd completely forgotten about it.
"Oh, Mr. Kaito! Mis... Er, Rin told me she was preparing a meeting for the cast to talk about tomorrow, and to have an afterparty."
"All riiight! Let's get drinking! I'll have to get Meg to make you-know-what again, heeheehee..."
Meiko put on a face-filling smile at the mention of the word "afterparty."
"Ohh, Meiko, do you just think of me as a handy drink dispenser?! I know you love beer and all, but it feels like you only consider me "useful" at times like these..."
Having worked at a bar in her bottom-of-the-ladder days, Meg knew a lot about alcohol. She was intimately familiar with cocktails, all kinds of beer, and the tastiest ways to drink everything. I guess it was just her way to thoroughly master anything she got involved in, as she was apparently on the same level as first-class bartenders. In fact, it wasn't just beer; she was an expert in all drinks, particularly tea and coffee. I'd often seen the cast badger her to mix drinks for them. Particularly our beer- and tea-lover Meiko, of course.
"M-My... That's not true at all."
"Oh, reeeally?"
Meg glared right at Meiko's face with doubtful eyes.
"W-Well, yes, really! Besides, of course I recognize you can make more than just cocktails. Your tea is simply the most delicious thing... ! Say, Miku, aren't you a big fan of Meg's tea too?"
Meiko quickly shifted the topic, looking for agreement. Meg turned toward me, still glaring.
"Eh? Y-Yes! The first time Miss Meg poured me her milk tea... I'd never gotten to drink such delicious tea before... It has such a heart-soothing flavor..."
"Well said, Miku. Yes, you're exactly right! Meg's a wonderful person, not just restricted to beer, but capable of making delicious tea, coffee, or any other drink. Truly dependable. And even so, her occupation is that of a playwright. And she's a stellar actress on top of all that? Such an inspiration!"
Meiko overbearingly sung Meg's praises, bringing in totally unrelated topics. They were all truestatements, but surely even Meg had to sense her true intents heaping this praise now, of all times.
"Ah, geeeeez! Miss Meiko, that's too much! You're going to make me blush... All right! In commemoration of the success of today's show, I'll make your favorite Meiko Special!"
"Woohoo! So generous, our Meg! The famed baroness of beverages!"
"M-Miss Meg... ?! (You do realize she's back to only complimenting you for drinks... !)"
"A-hem! But of course! Despite appearances, I know all about drinks. The Meiko Special is mostly made from premium alcohol, so it would normally go for a very high price... But today, we splurge! Because today is the commemorable first production day of Crazy ∞ nighT! Miss Miku, I'll make you a Miku-Miku Special for being such a hard-working lead actress, too!"
"Miku-Miku... Special... ?!"
No, as usual, Meg was taken in by Meiko's silver tongue. She would, once again, gladly be a handy drink dispenser. Gack watched the two of them wordlessly and sighed.
"... I feel they might be drinking a bit too much tonight."
By the time I was done checking the start-of-act setup with Meiko, it was already 11 PM. Kaito, Gack, and Meg had already gone upstairs, so only Meiko and the prop-maker Ia remained in the wings.
"Hey, Miku. Did Rin look okay?"
I was stuck for an answer to the sudden question. Okay? What could she possibly be asking about?
"Err... She seemed as energetic as usual, I guess... ?"
"I see. That's good. But... She does have asthma, you know, so I wonder..."
"Huh... ?"
"Oh, did you not see? I was certain she was hiding another stray kitten or something in green room #2..."
"Ah... U-Um..."
Rin, Len, and Meiko kept anticipating my every action and thought as though they could see right through me, but Meiko in particular stood above the pack, I thought. She really did observe everyone's slightest movements. Was it like an occupational disease for actors that the stage infected them with, or was it her natural attentive, meddlesome personality at work?
"... She told you not to say anything, didn't she?", Meiko smiled, putting a finger to her lips.
"Erm..."
"Heehee. You don't have to hide it. This happens all the time."
"Um... R-Rin... said she felt bad for it, and couldn't just leave it, so..."
"I'm well aware. Once she sees one, she just can't pass it by. But she is allergic to cats, and asthmatic to begin with. Her medication seems to be working well as of late, though. It used to be much worse."
"I didn't know that. So she'd go that far... she's a really nice person."
"... I can identify with her."
"Huh?"
"Say, do you know F. Milord?"
"Y-Yes! I mean... You mean that Mr. Milord! In the top three of West End's... no, the world's best actors... !"
"He's their father."
"Whaaaaat?!"
I was shocked. Mr. Milord was a longtime veteran actor known the world over, who got his start in West End doing theater, but worked in the world of movies as well. He had a graceful and beautiful appearance, somewhat shadowy features, and perfect acting talent that could instantly whisk the audience into the play's world. He'd been charming women around the world for over a decade.
"Now, this is strictly secret from the public. But she does seem to have opened her heart to you, so I'll tell you. I'd expect her to tell you sooner or later herself."
"Ah... Um, well. I won't disclose what you told me to anyone! Never!"
"Thanks."
"But... Wow, so Mr. Milord had children... I didn't even know he was married. But I guess... they do look like their father, don't they?"
As the image of the famous actor came to mind and I compared him to the two of them, I really began to feel there was a resemblance.
"Naturally, though, their father abandoned them."
"Huh? They were... ?"
"Ever since they were babies, they were raised by their grandparents, never knowing who their mother was. Len tells me that Milord came to visit once a year or so - or maybe not even then, evidently. They were raised being told that their father was too busy with work to come home often, so there was nothing to do but accept it. But the two in their youth still looked forward to seeing their father, even not knowing when he'd come. Yet one day, they realized that was just an excuse. Their father had no interest in having children... so they were left to the grandparents.
"By that time, Len had faintly come to realize it already, but Rin was still holding onto a belief in her father's goodwill... so it was traumatic for her. She always tries to steer conversations away from the topic of parents, you know. She can't talk about it. If you force her to remember the trauma, she can start hyperventilating at worst."
"... I... I see. So it was traumatic... Is that why? She asked me "you too"..."
"Huh? "You too"... ?"
"Oh, um, both my parents died right after I was born, and my grandma raised me after that... But I never met my parents at all. It's not traumatic for me. So you don't need to worry about that with me."
"Hmm. So you were also raised by your grandmother... Is she doing well?"
"Oh... actually... she passed away about a year ago. That's what made me determined to follow my dream... I moved to West End right after that..."
As I spoke, I touched the bracelet on my left hand, a memento my grandmother had given me before she died.
"I'm sorry for making you remember painful times..."
Meiko looked concerned and sorrowful, as if she were suffering the loss herself.
"It's okay! I'll always have this memento of grandma with me, and I mean, I'm doing fine... She always told me it was her dream to see me strive toward my own dream."
"Hee... You're much stronger than you look. Your grandmother must have been well-assured about leaving her dream to you."
Meiko smiled kindly, like a mother cradling her child.
"I'll be fine, Miss Meiko. But I mean, is Len okay? Because, um..."
Meiko lifted up her slightly-lowered head, and with a bit of gloom in her eyes, spoke haltingly.
"Ah, Len, well... He's much more mature than he looks... Rin is always cheery and thoughtful, but she really does get lonely, so she's a bit delicate. I'm sure she still thinks about her father... Thus, Len knows he has to support her... I suppose. Also, Len... seems a bit more concerned about his mother than his father."
"Um, and who would their mother be... ?"
"... Well. That's one thing I don't even know. Not even whether she's alive or dead, an actress like us or just a regular citizen... Len once went to ask his father about it directly, but he wouldn't tell him. And Len realized that, if she were long dead, then there should be no reason to not at least tell him her name. The fact that Milord would hide that convinced him that she was still alive somewhere... He takes whatever chance he can get to search for his mother."
"..."
"Don't look so gloomy, all right? They'll both be fine. They may be young, but they're very supportive siblings. And Kaito's quite caring to Rin too, you know?"
"Oh, yes..."
"It seems even Kaito was in a similar situation to Rin in his youth, so they understand each other's loneliness well. That's why he fawns over her like a father."
"Wow, I see... Even Kaito?"
"Indeed, I think everyone has had difficult pasts. But now, we're here. And we have friends."
"Friends..."
I was envious. The people of this troupe were all somewhat unusual and individualistic, and yet... their feelings were always one. The bonds they shared were very warm ones.
"And you're one of them, of course."
"Huh... ?"
"Everyone's long accepted you as a friend, you see? Well, all right, I suppose it hasn't been that long. You can take it slowly, at your own pace... But I'd be happy if you could start thinking of us as friends, too."
"N-No way... ! I-I do! I really do think of you as, um..."
"My, really? Thank you, Miku."
"Y... Yes!"
"Well... We got a little sidetracked, didn't we? The others are waiting for us. Shall we go?"
"Oh, sorry! Miss Meiko, you can go ahead and start the afterparty... I still need to do a little... um..."
I glanced toward the stage. The spotlight was still on, and Ia remained all by herself. She was fixing the clock I'd broken hours ago.
"All right. Come quickly once you're finished, okay?"
Seeming to understand perfectly without me saying anything, Meiko went ahead to the green room. Once she was gone, I approached Ia, standing in the spotlight and fixing the clock, to ask if I could help at all.
"Oh, Miss Miku! Thank you for helping me out earlier. I'll be all done once this is fixed, so don't worry!"
"Um... I'm sorry. It was my carelessness that broke it... I know it's my fault you're staying late..."
She held the clock hands that I'd forcefully smacked and knocked off during the show. I heard that the crew went looking around everywhere for a grandfather clock with just the perfect design for the play, and finally got their hands on a real antique one. It was made slightly differently from modern clocks, so Ia seemed at a loss, not knowing how the internals worked.
"I really don't know how to apologize..."
"Please, don't worry about it! I think the reason the hands came off was because the screws were loose. This thing is so old, it took some doing just to make it work. This kind of thing happens all the time... Now, first I need to work out why it's stopped, fix that, then just put on the hands... Umm... Do I put a screw in this hole... ?"
"Wow... So this is what the inside of a clock looks like. Oh, do you put this in?"
I squatted down next to Ia and handed a small piece by her feet to her.
"Thank you. I really don't know anything about machines either, but Mr. Kaito taught me a thing or two about clocks when we bought this. He seems to know a lot... In fact, I think he collects old curios and things. This clock was actually pretty expensive, but he wanted it the moment he saw it and paid out of his own pocket."
"... Wow... I can't believe I broke something so important..."
"You only took the hands off, it's no big deal! Not even Mr. Kaito is angry about that at all, and we've all broken our share of things... a lot of things. Let's see, what was the worst of it... Oh right, probably the time Miss Luka... In the heat of her performance, she scribbled all over a painting that had historical value... That was really bad. Ahahaha..."
Ia laughed, seeming to remember what the scene had been like. But deep in her eyes, I could sense she wasn't laughing much at all. I'd only just joined the troupe, and my eyes weren't as sharp as everyone else's, so there was a lot I didn't know. Like Kaito having a collection hobby, or the disaster Luka had caused - I hadn't had the slightest knowledge.
The cast and staff were all strict, yet very kind people, so I wanted to do my best for and with them. But time... time was something I couldn't fill in right away, no matter what I did.
"So, you know, everyone has their oddities, but they're good-natured people, so you'll soon get along just fine with them, Miss Miku... Well, I mean, aren't you already pretty friendly?"
Ia, as if sensing the doubt in my mind, threw me some encouraging words.
"Well... maybe... They're almost as friendly as family."
"Hmm. I've been here almost ten years now, and it's not like everyone was a member from the very beginning. Back when I joined, Miss Meiko was still a newcomer. Then Mr. Kaito sort of wandered here. Miss Meiko happened to meet Mr. Kaito in a back-alley bar around here while he was on vacation, they hit it off, and she scouted him. Then she found out he was the son of a wealthy family..."
"Whaaat?! A-A wealthy... ?!"
"Hm, well, he always tries to keep it secret, so a lot of people don't know."
"He keeps it secret?"
"I don't think he wants to inherit the family business, is the thing. It's a long-standing noble family that's been around for generations, and I think his father is the CEO of a big global corporation that represents our country... So, ever since Mr. Kaito was young, he was given a gifted education, and was groomed to lead the company. A very strict upbringing, he said. In response to that harsh life, it was the brief periods of amusement he was given between his studies that he looked forward to more than anything else.
"His mother loved Burlet plays too, so that influence led the two of them... Oh, but his mother was frail, so she passed away when he was young. Maybe in response to that, Mr. Kaito secretly trained to someday become an actor. When Miss Meiko brought him in to the troupe, he was dressed very strangely. Apparently, he'd fled home and went running all around the world in disguise, trying to get away from his father."
I recalled how Kaito's elegant way of drinking lemon tea in the green room made me imagine a royal palace or mansion as the backdrop, so I told him he reminded me of a butler in such a place as that. Meiko and Luka laughed at it, neither confirming or denying, but to think he really was a noble... At the same time, I realized how rude it must have sounded to him, and my head drooped down with a bit of self-loathing again.
"Oh, so... that's why..."
Ia took a thoughtful pose, wondering how to interpret me drooping my head, then continued on.
"So, we quickly found that Mr. Kaito was qualified to join, and he started taking part in new plays. But at last, he was found... One day, a while after he joined, men in black suits and sunglasses - very tough-looking - suddenly intruded into the company. They were his father's secretaries, here to try and take Mr. Kaito back by force. And they put on the pressure: they said that if he didn't come back home, who knew what would happen to this already half-folded troupe..."
"They threatened to use their influence to ruin you... ?"
"Right. Everyone was shocked, and begged them not to do that. Miss Meiko in particular wore herself out trying to persuade Mr. Kaito's father again and again."
"But there wasn't any motion to, um... to drive him out? Since he'd only just arrived and brought all this trouble with him..."
"I thought things might pan out that way at first, too. But people with a real passion for Burlet plays are the troupe's most valuable assets. Everyone banded together to keep such assets from being stolen out from under them. Everyone from the managers to the actors unified... there were a lot of fierce people willing to fight for him. I guess that's still true."
"Amazing..."
"Isn't it? So everyone decided to protect Mr. Kaito no matter what came of it. And what do you think Mr. Kaito did?"
"Huh? Well, I don't think someone responsible like him would just silently go along with it and let the troupe go under..."
"He told his father that he'd show him a play - a real play, and then he could make his judgement. His father supposed it would be the last play Mr. Kaito ever did. Then he got seriously busy... I think he made a play with all the main cast in just a month. For one of Burlet's most famous works, Oath of Black...
"So we put on that show, but... in the last scene, Mr. Kaito's role, the angel, atones for his sins and commits suicide with a fruit knife. And there... Mr. Kaito actually did stab himself. At first, everyone was stunned by what a true-to-life performance it was, but then we saw blood was really coming from his stomach... We panicked. Even his father's face went pale, and had an unbelievable expression. We hurried him to the hospital, but he was unconscious for two or three days... He was on the border of life and death. The whole time, his father was flustered. He never imagined he'd do something so stubborn."
"..."
"When Mr. Kaito finally woke up, everyone in the room wept with joy. But Miss Meiko alone slapped Mr. Kaito, who was still totally calm, really hard..."Why did you do something so idiotic, you idiot?!", she yelled. And Mr. Kaito replied."If it were going to be my last play, I wanted to truly show the potential of theater. I wanted to challenge myself to see how real a thing I could make using the fake world of plays... I know I worried you, but if I were saying goodbye to theater for life, then I wouldn't have any regrets having died that way."
"Hearing this, even his father was forced to admit his devotion to acting. In fact, he said he would provide support to the troupe - but Mr. Kaito refused to ever rely on his father's aid. He'd willfully chosen to walk this path, so he'd someday succeed and bring the troupe back from its money woes."
"... That must have been... so difficult for you..."
"If we had outright accepted his father's support, all our monetary problems would probably clear up just like that... But we wouldn't be able to say we "got back on our feet" in any real sense. We have to do something about the past decade's trend of theater culture as a whole declining. We have to get more visitors, and get back the prosperity of this culture, or we can't call it a comeback. That's what Mr. Kaito said. And I agree with him. We'll keep making good plays... and bring in as many people willing to spare their time to see us as we can."
"That's true... Even if it's entertainment that isn't making much money, it's still entertainment for those people. But if no one finds it fun, then they'll start to feel like no one wants it, not even for free..."
"Yeah. Something changed in everyone after that incident. Like everyone was strongly bound together by one belief, one ideal... They felt a duty to bring joy to the audience's hearts by putting on good plays together. And Crazy ∞ nighT provided that opportunity. It has a great sensational aspect, the script actually is a very interesting one, the production's had a lot of time and effort put in, and the cast puts all our stars on display, and they've practiced like mad. So we really hope this can be the chance for a big revival of interest in the Burlet Company...
"Well, then again, we can't really afford to take our time to make everything ideal. Our financial situation is pretty bad, and the managers are holding their heads daily. And that's with the help of the sponsor company we've been longtime partners with, and Mr. Kaito's father providing just enough help in secret that Mr. Kaito won't find out. Oh, and that Burlet-loving businessman... Mr. Len's gentleman with the roses. Even with all that, the debts win out. It's just so expensive putting on a Burlet play, since you can't make concessions with the sets, the costumes, the actors, anything. But that's also kind of a point of enjoyment that keeps us going."
"So that's why Mr. Kaito is always so determined... No, and Len... And everyone else..."
"Oh, for the record, Mr. Kaito's made up with his father, so they get along alright now. Sometimes he goes back to his old home on vacations. Although, I hear he's also getting pressured to marry already so the grandkid can actually inherit the family this time..."
Ia spoke with a bit of a pained smile.
"Every person in this troupe seems to have... overcome something major, it seems like. It's amazing."
"Sure thing. I think the actors in particular have had an above-average amount of suffering and effort to put in. For the troupe... and for themselves who love the troupe. Mr. Kaito and Miss Meiko have been here just over ten years, Miss Luka, Miss Rin, and Mr. Len for about five... ? And about three or four years ago is when the financial problems started to visibly worsen. Around that time - and at roughly the same time - Miss Meg who was working to become a playwright and Mr. Gack who managed an independent farm asked if they could do anything for the Burlet Company they so loved, so they joined.
"They were still busy with their other jobs, so they had to juggle both. Still, having needed to learn a lot about it to write plays, Miss Meg's acting was quite good, and she soon entered the main cast. Oh, and Mr. Gack! He'd been part of the cast for a troupe in another country, and he had experience and natural talent that let him adapt to any role. Everyone was glad to gain such powerful allies and worked in total cooperation with them to get back on their feet.
"So whatever it takes, we want to succeed with this lost play... This chance to save ourselves financially. It's had a year of preparation, and a lot has happened in that time.... We've gained things, but we've lost just as much..."
Kaito had said the same thing Ia just did."Many things have been lost..." And Meiko and Len both brought up a friend who they'd suddenly lost...
"Absolutely... I heard there was a friend you lost..."
"Ah! Where did you hear that?"
"Um... From Len?... Should I not have heard about it, maybe?"
"... Nah. Hmm, Mr. Len... Well, you see, up until shortly before you joined, Miss Miku, we had a star actress who filled a lot of lead roles. She and Miss Luka always took the spots for heroines..."
Ia spoke of her with a hint of tragedy in her voice.
"She was very friendly with everyone in the troupe, especially the actors, and even helped out the backstage staff often... She was such a good person. And with Crazy ∞ nighT too, she really..."
"Hm?"
"A-Ah... Look at me, saying silly things! Sorry, don't worry about it, okay? Now we have you here, Miss Miku... Yes, the lead role of Crazy ∞ nighT, that's Miss Miku. No buts about that!"
"... ?"
Seeing Ia talk so hastily, I got nervous wondering if I heard something I shouldn't have. After a short silence with her wearing a pained expression, her kind and good-natured smile returned, and she spoke again.
"Oh, speaking of which... during the auditions for Crazy ∞ nighT, I was watching in secret from the back. And as I watched, I kept thinking, there's no way we can have a total novice newcomer play the lead in a Burlet play... And since there were so many participants, judging took three days. Everyone was getting pretty exhausted. But toward the end of the third day... someone perfect for the part appeared. We almost felt like the Villager herself had come out of the script... She was a little shaky, but the mood about her was just perfect for representing the world of the play. Yes, that was you, Miss Miku."
"!! N-No way... I'm not really... I still have a long way to go. Even Len told me so."
"But did Mr. Len also tell you how much faith we have in you?"
"... !"
"Right? There's no doubt about it. So please, have confidence!"
"But... I messed up today..."
"And that's fine! You can recover. The play's only just started."
Ia grinned and gave me a playful wink. No, brooding about it wouldn't get me anywhere, would it? I had to answer to everyone's expectations.
"... Alright then, looks like it'll work now. Just need to put the hands on!"
While we were talking, it seemed Ia had nearly finished repairing the clock.
"Oh, good... !" I reached for the two clock hands to give them to her.
"Oh! Be careful, Miss Miku! The hour hand there used to be a knife, apparently. Or maybe this was a clock meant to hide a knife in... it's not really clear. It's pretty sharp at any rate, so be careful not to cut yourself."
"O-Okay!"
As I carefully lifted it, I found it did have a lot of weight to it. The hour hand's edge was neatly sharpened, so I took care in picking it up and handing it to Ia.
"Hmm, maybe in this little gap... Huh? These hands did go here, right? Weird. How do you get them to fit... ?"
"Huh..."
While at a glance it seemed like they would fit, the size of the holes didn't seem to match up, so they wouldn't go on.
"Maybe I should ask Mr. Kaito? All I need to do is get them back on..."
"... Oh, well, I can take them to him later and ask directly. I need to apologize to Mr. Kaito, anyway... I mean, he was the one who found and bought this clock."
I took both hands back from Ia. Since the hour hand was dangerous, I carefully wrapped my handkerchief around it and put it away in my pocket.
"So, I guess I can leave that to you?"
"Yes! Um, I'm sorry for making you stay so late. I know all the other backstage staff has gone home already... I'll turn off all the lights and things, so Miss Ia, you can go."
"Thank you. Okay, guess I should get ready to leave."
Ia stood up and started cleaning up the screwdrivers and pliers lying around. As I helped her, I took a look around to see if there was anything else. I noticed the wall clock in the wing of the stage said it was past 11:30. It had gotten really late.
"Um, Miss Miku?"
"Yes?"
"Today's performance was really wonderful. I mean, I joined the company because I love Burlet's plays, too."
"..."
"It was always my dream. I'm not the type to stand up on stage, but I wanted to do the job of supporting the world of the play from behind like this. I'd heard that with movies on the rise and theater declining, the Burlet Company might go under, but I still wanted to do it. It's not a great salary, there's a lot of work, and no overtime pay... But I really feel like this is work worth doing.
"And with Burlet's lost work Crazy ∞ nighT being found, we'll be able to keep going on. It's kind of a dreamlike twist, and it makes my heart happy. But the most fantastic thing is our Cinderella, Miss Miku, selected as the lead actress out of the blue! Thanks to you, this troupe can recover."
"T-Thanks to me... ? I never did... I was only picked as the lead by chance. It feels like a dream to me that any of this is happening... Like an unseen force is guiding me, not like I'm doing it myself. And not to mention, today I messed up Burlet's script..."
"Well, being led by the forces of chance is a quality of a star! There isn't much charm to a protagonist who can resolve everything all by herself, is there? Like for some reason, people stop wanting to help her, and she runs into random misfortune, but in the end, she gets really lucky and marries the prince or something. I think the power the lead of a story has to move their surroundings is really charming.
"Besides, I know you've practiced more than anyone else, Miss Miku. You're putting in tons of effort! You always come really early and practice in that unused cellar, right? Everyone knows."
"... !"
Don't tell me someone was watching that amateurish practice... ? And not just Ia, but everyone had seen? My face burned like wildfire.
"Heehee. The people who watch really watch close. Look, no matter how terrible a showing there is for a performance, there's always an audience member in the special seats. I call him Baron Von Silkhat, personally. In fact, long ago, the company might have called Mr. Burlet himself that. Anyway, he's a gentleman who loves Burlet, and I guess in imitation of him, he lets his bangs cover his eyes and always wears an antique silk hat. I'm sure people like him are glad to see you perform, Miku. And I bet starting with this, you already have a ton of fans!"
"I-I..."
"You definitely do! Just have confidence - you're the lead! Anyway, I'm done cleaning, so I'll go now. And ask Mr. Kaito about the hands!"
"Understood!"
"Aren't you tired too, Miss Miku? Get some rest. Good work!"
"Okay! T-Thank you!"
"The people who watch really watch close, " huh... Baron Von Silkhat - could the gentleman I bumped into on the street this morning be the same one Ia was talking about? Certainly, in all the surviving portraits of him, Mr. Burlet was portrayed as a gentleman wearing a silk hat, with thick bangs long enough to hide his eyes, and many impassioned fans tried to imitate that style. To think that gentleman always bought special tickets for our performances...
Once Ia left, and I was alone on the stage... I stepped into the center of the spotlight which still shone. I was a little unsteady on my feet; Ia was right that I was pretty exhausted. Starting with my strange dream, then running through the crowded street, arriving late, the busy events in the green room, the show itself, my unexpected mistake in the midst of it, and my conversations with everyone afterward... I threw out my hands and shook them, as if to shake off the emotions I'd been carrying since morning.Behind my eyelids, I imagined a common sight from my youth. Walking a little bit into the small forest near my house, there was an wide open thicket. There was no one there but me; no cast, no staff, nothing at all, so I put on an imaginary play where I was the lead. Once the play was done, I would then become my own audience and applaud myself. No one was around then, but... I wanted there to be people who would watch me someday, and applaud me. So I thought of it as training for that. And tonight, for the first time in my life, I received real applause.
Now I was standing on stage. The Burlet Company stage I'd always aspired to. Has my dream come true, grandma? On the back of the old bracelet, her memento, which she too had inherited from her mother, was clearly written the name "Burlet."
Walking around the stage absent-mindedly, looking over the empty seats, I noticed something glint in the corner of my eye. I turned to it and saw something white on the floor. I don't suppose it was the letter prop I'd dropped at the end of act one? I approached and picked it up.
"Huh? It's addressed to me... And... I thought I saw it shine..."
The prop hadn't had any name written on it, so this didn't seem to be that. I inspected it all over for a means by which it could have shined, but it was perfectly normal paper. There was no sender, yet it was addressed to me. Who in the world could it be from?
I opened the envelope and read through the letter inside. Instantly, the information written there poured into my head like a flood. My hands trembled, and I was struck with an illusion - as if the world I'd believed in was just a distant fairytale, and everything was in the world of the play all along.
Trying to push down the violent emotions welling up in me, my head came to be dominated by bizarre feelings. My legs took one step, then another. In the distance, I thought I heard the buzzer sound. And the applause of a single person. But once I started to run, I couldn't stop, and I hurried down off the stage.
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